Bottle carrier



De@ 9, 1941- R. P. SMITH 2,265,877

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed March 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ltqrney R. P. SMITH BOTTLE CARRIER Dec. 9, 1941.

lFiled March 14, 194C 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1941 2,265,817 BOTTLE emma Robert P. Smith, Crawfordsviiie, Ind., assignor to The Hoosier Crown Corporation, Crawfordsvine, 1nd. ,i y

appucationivrarn 14, 1940, serial No. 323,968

. `1 Claim.

The present invention relates to bottle carriers of a type adapted to accommodate bottles of soft drinks and similar beverages and has for its primary object to provide a basket type carrier embodying a pair of pivoted side portions constructed of wire andadapted for engaging the outer sides of a double row of bottles placed within the carrier and providing .handle means having slidable engagement with said side members toclamp the latter into engagement with the bottles, the weight of the bottles assisting in increasing the clamping action of said handle.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, relatively inexpen- -sive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which- Figure l is a side elevational view,

FigureV 2.is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is an end elevational view, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end elevational view showing the bottle clamping members in ope position. 6

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 designates a bottle supporting member which is constructed of a relatively narrow strip of metal having upstanding end portions 6 to provide a bottom member of substantially U- form.

Each of the upstanding ends 6 are provided with a pair of openings 1 adapted to receive the end portions 8 of a pair of wire bottle clamping membersdesignated generally at 9.

The ends portions 8 are shaped substantially in the form of hooks, as shown more clearly in intervals with inwardly bent spacing members I2. The portion of the wire between said spacing members I2 is curved outwardly to provide bottle accommodating recesses I3 for coniormably receiving the side walls of the bottles Il when positioned upright on the base 5.

A pair of the clamping members 9 are arrangedy at opposite sides of the base 5 whereby to cooperate in clamping a double row of the bottles in position when supported on the base.

. A substantially U-shaped handle member I5. is provided which has itsend portions formed into loops I6 positioned horizontally and constituting slides which are slidably mounted on the vertical end portions I0 of the clamping members.

'At the junction between the vertical end portions l and the horizontal portions II of the clamping member is formed a notch I1 within which the slide I6 is seated, when the latter is moved in its uppermost position, to restrain downward gravitating movement of the slideand the handle and thusetodmaintain the. clamping members in their clamping engagement with the bottles.v

From the foregoing it is apparent that by a downward movement ofthe handle I5 that the clamping members will be released to permit outward pivotal movement thereof whereby to readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In a-carrier for bottles, an elongated rigid member providing a rest'for bottles positioned vertically thereon and having upturnedends.

' Jaw members coactive with eachother in surrounding and gripping the bottles above the rest and including horizontal portions lnormally elevated in bottle holding position and vertical portions, said vertical portions 'having the free ends thereof hinged on the Aupturned 'ends of the velongated rigid member whereby the horizontal portions can move out of elevated position and away-from each other whereby bottles may be placed on and removed from the rest, said horizontal portions having curved offsets to conform to the walls of thebotties and to act as spacers between the bottles, and a bail having elongated looped portions at the ends thereof slidably receiving the vertical portions of the jaw members to sustain the latter in bottle holding position whenever the bail is under the load of the bottles.

ROBERT P. SMITH. 

